“And now you have arrived, I suppose, to see the next act of the play?”
He inquired what that was to be.
“You don’t know? Then I shan’t enlighten you. This is a good house, isn’t it? with capabilities. And the pictures are good. There are one or two smaller and extremely choice in the boudoir opening out of this room. Ah, Anne is coming from it at this minute.”
Anne it was, followed by Lord Milborough; Anne in soft draperies of white and yellow, here and there flash of diamonds, brilliant as Wareham had never seen her before. She came towards him, and he rose.
“You are to take me in to dinner,” she said smilingly.
“Fortunate I!”
Another man presented himself.
“Not to-night, Mr Orpington. Go and ask Lady Fanny to effect an exchange between you and Mr Wareham.”
“It seems that I am indebted even more than I knew,” said Wareham, in a low voice, as they proceeded to the dining-room.
“It is my rule to resist tyranny. What can be so odious as to be handed over for two hours to a man with whom you have nothing in common?”